Display-rack.



PATENTED MAY 22, 1906.

J. D. WALSH.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED 00 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1v l ll l l 6 Roman 13 PATENTED MAY22, 1906.

J. D. WALSH.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED 001 2a. 1905 2 SEEETS-SHEET 2.

Alzoniw, av cmum co. mow-Lnunsnwnms. WAQRIHGYDN, 0. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

DISPLAY-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 1906.

Application filed October 23, 1905- Serial No. 283,962-

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMEs D. WALSH, a citizen of the United States,residing at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Display-Racks, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in display-racks; and itconsists in the novel construction and arrangement of parts more fullyset forth in the specification, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a display-rack,showing my invention applied thereto, a portion of the swinging wingsbeing broken away. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the wing-operatingmechanism at the base of the frame. Fig. 3 is a horizon tal section online 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line 4 4of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical 'transverse section on line 5 5 of Fig.3. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section on line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7is an enlarged top plan of the reciprocating rider, showing the mannerof its engagement with the driving sprocket-chain. Fig. 8 is a detailelevation of one section of the recipro cating rider, being a section inthe plane of the line 8 8 of Fig. 9 and showing also the drivingsprocket-wheels for the chain. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical sectionon line 9 9. of Fig. 8, showing the dog of the rider coupled to theupper lap of the drive-chain. Fig. 10 is a front elevation of thereciprocating rider. Fig. 11 is asectional detail similar to Fig. 9, butshowing the dog of the rider coupled to the lower lap of thedrive-chain; and Fig. 12 shows a top plan of a modified form of construction for coupling the motor.

The present invention has relation to that class of displayracks whichare provided with a series of swinging wings or leaves to which thearticles to be exhibited are attached.

The object of the present improvement is to provide such a rack withmeans for oscillating the wings automatically by mechanism actuated,preferably, by an electric motor, so that the public or purchaser mayhave opportunity of inspecting the entire line of goods offered by thedealer without imposing the labor of turning the wings on the clerk incharge.

A further object is to provide 'a wing or leaf operator of the natureherein referred to which shall be reliable, strong, durable, positive,and one possessing further and other advantages better apparent from adetailed de scription of the invention, which is as follows Referring tothe drawings, F represents a frame for the support of the swinging wingsor leaves W, the latter oscillating freely about hinge-axes disposedbetween the top and bottom members of the frame, as best illustrated inFig. 1. The ends of the frame are reinforced by braces F, a constructionwell known in theart and forming no part of the present invention.Mounted on suitable bearings at one end of the basal member of the frame(the said member being preferably a flat structural bar) is an electricmotor M, to

' which the current is supplied from any available source. The shaft 1of said motor is provided with a worm-wheel 2, which meshes with apinion 3 on a counter-shaft 4, mounted in the bracket 5 (which likewisesupports one end of the shaft 1) and in the bracket 6, carried by thebasal member of the supportingframe. The counter-shaft 4 is disposedparallel to the bottom member of the frame and at an intermediate pointis provided with a worm-wheel 7, which meshes with a pinion 8 on theshaft of a sprocket-wheel 9, likewise mounted in the bracket 6. From thesprocketwheel 9 there passes a sprocket-chain or endless conveyer 10over a second sprocketwheel 11, mounted in a bracket 12, secured in anyadjusted position at the opposite end of the base of the frame F, saidbracket 12 being preferably adjustable to take up any slack in thedrive-chain or conveyer 10. Disposed between the brackets 6 12 is a railor bar 13, whose one end is fixed to the bracket 6 and whose oppositeend is provided with an elongated slot 14, through which passes asecuring-screw 15, the purpose of the slot being to allow for thenecessary adjustment of the bracket 12 for the purpose mentioned.

'As seen from the drawings, the rail 13 is disposed contiguous to andparallel to the plane of travel of the chain 10. Along the rail 13freely slides in either direction one member or section 16 of a block orrider, the opposite member or complement 16 of said rider being coupledto the section 16 by screw-bolts 17, passed through the extendedcorner-ears 18 18 of the respective sections. The contacting faces ofthe sections 16 16,

constituting the rider, are plane and when coupled together in themanner indicated follows: Pivoted at opposite ends within the cavity ordepression 19 are shifting or tripping levers 2O 20, whose outer armsproject beyond the rider 16 16, said levers being capable of oscillationin the plane between the laps of the chain 10. Movably linked orhinged'between the ends of the inner arms of the levers is a dog 21,having beveled ends adapted to alternately engage the links of theopposite laps of the chain 10. The chain of course travels constantly inone direction,

as shown by arrows in Fig. 8. Assuming that the upper end of the dog isin engagement with a link in the upper lap of the chain, the chain willimpel the dog, and hence impel the rider 16 16 along the rail 13 in thesame direction as the said upper lap. When, how- 'ever, the rider hasadvanced far enough for the end of the outer arm of the right-hand lever20 to be struck by the teeth of the sprocket-wheel 1 1, the saidsprocket-wheel will trip the levers to the dotted position indicated inFig. 8, forcing the lower end of the dog to engage a link of thelowerlap of the chain, when the dog and the rider carrying the same willnow be impelled along the rail in the direction of travel of the saidlower lap, the rider thus reciprocating in the opposite direction. Whenthe end of its stroke is again reached, the teeth of the sprocket-wheel9 will trip the levers back to the full position shown in Fig. 8,driving the dog 21 into engagement with a link of the upper lap of thechain, thereby causing the rider to travel with the upper lap of thechain, so that at the end of each stroke the rider is brought intoalternate engagement with the opposite laps of the chain and caused toreciprocate back and forth along the rail 13. When forced intoengagement with the upper lap of the chain, the dog is preferably heldelevated and prevented from dropping by the spring-actuated latch orstud 22, confined in a pocket in the dog, Figs. 9, 11, which stud underthe action of its controlling-spring 23 is forced to enter a depression24 of the section 16 of the rider. This spring 23 is a weak spring ofjust sufficient resilience to hold the dog frictionally sus pended inposition against any possible gravitation of the same and its consequentdisengagement from the upperlap of the chain.

Of course for its lowest position the dog requires no special lockingprovision.

In its reciprocations along the rail 13 the rider encounters the studs25, projecting rearwardly from the bases of the hinge-axes of theseveral wings, the resultingimpact against these studs serving tooscillate or swing the wings about their axes first n one direction andthen the other, Fig. 3. To cushion this impact, the rider is provided onits outer face with a hinged buffer -block 26, having lateral inclinedfaces at the meeting edge of, which is formed a groove or depres sion 27for receiving the studs 25. Behind the block 26 is a spring 28, whichbecomes compressed as either inclined face of the buffer-block strikes astud 25, the stud after the impact riding up the incline until it comesopposite the groove'27, when the force of the spring 28 drives thegroove 27 and stud 25 i view the articles hung on them.

In Fig. 12 I have shown a modified constructionfor coupling up the motorM. In that case it is pivoted to the basal member of the frame F, thegear 29 of its driving-shaft being held firmly in engagement by thespring 30 with a pinion 31- at the end of a shaft 4 (corresponding tothe .shaft 4) by means of which motion is imparted to the drive-chain.Of course any other manner of coupling the motor would answer thepresent purpose.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. A display-rackcomprising a series of swinging wings or leaves, and suitable devicesfor imparting to the leaves an automatically reciprocating oscillatorymovement, substantially as set forth.

2. A display rack comprising a series of swinging wings or leavesmounted along consecutive hinge-axes, and devices moving in proximity tosaid axes and engaging said wings for oscillating the same first in onedirection and then automatically in the other, substantially as setforth.

3. A display-rack comprising a series of swinging wings or leavesmounted along consecutive hinge-axes, and devices automaticallyreciprocating in proximity to said axes and engaging-the said wings foroscillating the same first in one direction and then the other,substantially as set forth.

4:. A display-rack comprising a series of secutive hinge-axes,projections formed on the several leaves extending rearwardly beyond theaxes, and suitable automatically reciprocating devices adapted toimpinge against said projections and thereby oscillate the Wings,substantially as set forth.

5. A display-rack comprising a series of swinging Wings, a rail disposedadjacent to the hinge-axes of the wings, a rider automaticallyreciprocating on said rail, and formations on the Wings with which therider comes successively in contact for oscillating the wings with eachreciprocation, substantially as set forth.

6. A display-rack comprising a series of swinging Wings, studs on thesame projecting beyond the hinge-axes of the same, a stationary raildisposed adjacent to the studs, a rider on said rail, a drivingsprocket-chain adjacent to the rail, sprocket-wheels at opposite ends ofthe chain, a dog mounted on the rider, and suitable shifting devicesoperated by the sprocket-wheels for alternately bringing the dog intoengagement with the opposite laps of the chain, substantially as setforth.

7. A display-rack comprising a series of swinging Wings, studs on thesame projecting beyond the hinge-axes of the same, a stationary raildisposed adjacent to the studs, a rider on said rail, a yielding impactmember or buffer carried by the rider, said buffer provided with meansfor permitting engagement therewith of the studs as the buffer passesover the studs, a sprocket-chain adjacent to the rail, sprocket-wheelsat opposite ends of the chain, a dog mounted movably on the rider, andsuitable shifting levers operated by the sprocket-wheels for forcing thedog into alternate engagement with the opposite laps of the chain,substantially as set forth.

8. In a display-rack, a suitable reciprocating rider, a pair of leverspivoted thereon and oscillating in the same plane, a dog movablyconnected to the ends of the adjacent arms of said levers, and means foralternately tripping the outer arms of the levers in opposite directionthereby reciprocating the dog confined between the adjacent arms,substantially as set forth.

9. In a display-rack, a suitable reciprocating rider, a pair of leverspivoted thereon and oscillating in the sameplane, a dog movably coupledbetween the ends of the adjacent arms of the levers, a spring latch orstud on the dog, the rider having a depression for receiving said stud,and means for alternately trippingthe outer arms of the levers inopposite directions thereby reciprocating the dog confined between theadjacent arms of said levers, substantially as set forth.

10. In a display-rack, a traveling endless conveyer, a rider inproximity thereto, and devices on the rider for alternately engaging onelap of the conveyer and then the other whereby a reciprocatlng movementis imparted to the rider, substantially as set forth.

11. In a display-rack, a traveling endless chain, a rider in proximitythereto, sprocketwheels for the chain, and devices on the rider actuatedby the sprocket-wheels and forced into alternate engagement with therespective laps of the chain, whereby the rider is reciprocated by thechain, substantially as set forth.

12. In a display-rack, a series of swinging Wings, projections formed onthe same and extending beyond the hinge-axes thereof, a reciprocatingrider mounted adjacent to the hinge-axes, a spring-controlled buffercarried by the rider and having inclined faces adapted to impingeagainst the projections aforesaid, and provided with a groove adapted toreceive the projections of the said wings, the parts operatingsubstantially as, and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES D. WALSH.

Witnesses:

EMIL STAREK, MARY D. WHITOOMB.,

